It's like winning the lottery—literally. While anyone can drop $5,000 to sign up for a commercial raft trip down these 277 miles of the legendary Colorado River, running your own requires a Park Service permit awarded in an annual lottery ($25 to enter, $100 per person for up to 16 people if you draw; nps.gov/grca). Odds are it'll take five years for your number to come up, which means you have time to prepare. You'll want to develop good oar-boat technique (consider a class with OARS; oars.com) and run some practice expeditions on big Class III rivers like Utah's Cataract Canyon and Idaho's Hells Canyon. When it's your turn on the Grand, make sure you have at least one ringer in your group, such as a former professional guide, and use a provisioner like Professional River Outfitters (proriver.com) to supply boats and pack them full of food. Then it's 25 days of utter glory.
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2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon (49 of 50)
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2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon
(Part 49 of 50)
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- You're Gonna Need a Bigger Bucket
- 50. Learn an Instrument
- 49. Climb the Grand Teton
- 48. Build a School in a Foreign Country
- 47. Volunteer After a Disaster
- 46. Go on a Walking Safari
- 45. Learn a Magic Trick
- 44. Give Something Up
- 43. Step on Antarctica
- 42. Follow Up
- 41. Ride l'Alpe d'Huez
- 40. Raise $2,500 for a Cause
- 39. Live Abroad for a Year
- 38. Travel the World on a Teacher's Salary
- 37. Sail Across an Ocean
- 36. Get Bent
- 35. Lasso a Steer
- 34. Wing It
- 33. Beat the Train
- 32. Ski-Bum for a winter
- 31. Go to New Zealand
- 30. Trek Torres del Paine
- 29. Get in the Best Shape of Your Life
- 28. Read Right
- 27. Become an Expert Hatchet Thrower
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- 26. Watch the World Cup
- 25. Learn to Kayak
- 24. Join the Circus
- 23. Coin a Phrase
- 22. Swim Naked
- 21. Master a Surprising Cocktail
- 20. Ski Powder
- 19. Win Your Age Group in a Race
- 18. See a Tornado
- 17. Trek in the Himalayas
- 16. Make a Man Cave
- 15. Build a Cabin in the Mountains
- 14. Take Two Weeks Off
- 12. Talk to a Wild Panda
- 11. Take a Risk
- 10. Catch a Steelhead on a Spey Rod
- 9. Overachieve
- 8. Master a Second Language
- 7. Get Tubed
- 6. Learn a Constellation
- 5. Become a Bush Pilot
- 4. Chase Down Your Hero
- 3. Start a Group Ride
- 2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon
- 1. Get a passport
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2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon
(Part 49 of 50)
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Wednesday, September 01, 2010
3
2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon
On our 2010 Life List: self-guide the Grand Canyon.
By: The Editors
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2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon (49 of 50)
-
2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon
(Part 49 of 50)
-
- You're Gonna Need a Bigger Bucket
- 50. Learn an Instrument
- 49. Climb the Grand Teton
- 48. Build a School in a Foreign Country
- 47. Volunteer After a Disaster
- 46. Go on a Walking Safari
- 45. Learn a Magic Trick
- 44. Give Something Up
- 43. Step on Antarctica
- 42. Follow Up
- 41. Ride l'Alpe d'Huez
- 40. Raise $2,500 for a Cause
- 39. Live Abroad for a Year
- 38. Travel the World on a Teacher's Salary
- 37. Sail Across an Ocean
- 36. Get Bent
- 35. Lasso a Steer
- 34. Wing It
- 33. Beat the Train
- 32. Ski-Bum for a winter
- 31. Go to New Zealand
- 30. Trek Torres del Paine
- 29. Get in the Best Shape of Your Life
- 28. Read Right
- 27. Become an Expert Hatchet Thrower
-
- 26. Watch the World Cup
- 25. Learn to Kayak
- 24. Join the Circus
- 23. Coin a Phrase
- 22. Swim Naked
- 21. Master a Surprising Cocktail
- 20. Ski Powder
- 19. Win Your Age Group in a Race
- 18. See a Tornado
- 17. Trek in the Himalayas
- 16. Make a Man Cave
- 15. Build a Cabin in the Mountains
- 14. Take Two Weeks Off
- 12. Talk to a Wild Panda
- 11. Take a Risk
- 10. Catch a Steelhead on a Spey Rod
- 9. Overachieve
- 8. Master a Second Language
- 7. Get Tubed
- 6. Learn a Constellation
- 5. Become a Bush Pilot
- 4. Chase Down Your Hero
- 3. Start a Group Ride
- 2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon
- 1. Get a passport
-
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2. Self-Guide the Grand Canyon
(Part 49 of 50)
- >
Comments
Hiked in the Grand Canyon several times in my life, including the one day rim to rim hike. Without a doubt one of the most spectacular places on earth.
Flag ThisUsed ProRiver last Oct (2011). First time through the Grand Canyon. Only did the first part to the hike out at the south rim. If you can make the time, the whole trip would be amazing. One of the best trips of my life. Proriver was phenomenal with helping us out. Would highly recommend them. Will never forget that trip. Nothing like holding the oars going through some of the colorado's rapids, and the solidarity is just as enjoyable.
Flag ThisUsed ProRiver last Oct (2011). First time through the Grand Canyon. Only did the first part to the hike out at the south rim. If you can make the time, the whole trip would be amazing. One of the best trips of my life. Proriver was phenomenal with helping us out. Would highly recommend them. Will never forget that trip. Nothing like holding the oars going through some of the colorado's rapids, and the solidarity is just as enjoyable.
Flag This